Δεν πλησιάζω ποτέ τα καυσαέρια του δρόμου με το μωρό, γιατί δεν είναι καθόλου υγιεινά.

to be

Breakdown of Δεν πλησιάζω ποτέ τα καυσαέρια του δρόμου με το μωρό, γιατί δεν είναι καθόλου υγιεινά.

• δεν: not
• με: with
• γιατί: because

Questions & Answers about Δεν πλησιάζω ποτέ τα καυσαέρια του δρόμου με το μωρό, γιατί δεν είναι καθόλου υγιεινά.

Why does δεν come before πλησιάζω and not after it?

In Greek, the standard position of the negative particle δεν is directly before the verb it negates.

• Δεν πλησιάζω = I do not approach
• Πλησιάζω δεν is ungrammatical in modern standard Greek.

So in a normal sentence, you place δεν right before the main verb (or the auxiliary, if there is one):

• Δεν πάω. = I am not going.
• Δεν έχω δει. = I have not seen.

What exactly does ποτέ mean here, and why is it used together with δεν?

Ποτέ means ever or never, depending on whether the sentence is negative or positive.

• In a negative sentence with δεν, ποτέ means never:

  • Δεν πλησιάζω ποτέ... = I never approach...

• In a positive sentence, ποτέ means ever:

  • Έχεις πάει ποτέ στην Ελλάδα; = Have you ever been to Greece?

In modern Greek, when you want to say never, you almost always use δεν + ποτέ together. Using ποτέ without δεν to mean never is old-fashioned or poetic.

Can ποτέ be put in a different place in the sentence?